Extremists feared to discrupt Pope's Manila visit
Extremists feared to discrupt Pope's Manila visit
MANILA (Agencies): Fundamentalist groups pose a potential
threat to Pope John Paul II when he visits the Philippines next
week and security will be tight to eliminate any assassination
attempts, Cardinal Jaime Sin said yesterday.
Sin, the Manila archbishop, said in a television interview
here that there were people, "mainly who are fundamentalist," who
were now being kept under close surveillance by police ahead of
the Jan. 12-16 pastoral and state visit. He did not elaborate.
"Even in Rome there are security threats because there are
evil people who would like to destroy goodness. But always,
goodness will prevail," the cardinal said.
"It is good that we know it beforehand," he said. "The
security people know about this so there will be tight security
to protect the life of the father."
Although Sin did not specify any group, the Abu Sayyaf, an
armed Moslem fundamentalist group in the southern Philippines,
has launched several attacks against Christian targets in recent
years including the bombing of shrines and the kidnapping of
priests and nuns.
However, no explicit threat has been made against John Paul II
here so far.
Manila yesterday has also ordered its embassies to be on guard
against issuing visas to 109 people who may pose a security
threat during Pope John Paul's visit this month.
The names, which have not been made public, were supplied to
Manila by the Vatican, according to local newspapers. Embassies
in the Middle East have been told to be particularly watchful.
The Polish pontiff was wounded in an assassination attempt in
Rome in 1981, shortly after he made his first visit to the
Philippines, the only predominantly Roman Catholic nation in
Asia, in his capacity as head of the world's 700 million
Catholics.
After Manila he is scheduled to visit Papua New Guinea,
Australia and Sri Lanka.
While in Manila he will be using a three million-peso
(US$125,000), locally-assembled, bullet-proof bubble-top jeep
similar to the "popemobile" he rides in during public appearances
in Europe and elsewhere.
The pope is scheduled to address the 10th World Youth Day here
on Jan. 15, when 300,000 young people from around the world are
expected to assemble in a Manila park.
He will also lead the celebrations for the 400th year of the
Philippine capital's elevation into an archdiocese, and attend a
meeting of Asian bishops.
Asked about concerns about the pope's failing health, Cardinal
Sin said, "What gives the pope energy is the thought about the
Philippines," and that "thinking about this country alone is
enough to make him stronger."
He said the pope will be fit enough for the Philippine leg,
"but I don't know after the Philippines, because he will not
receive the same welcome in Papua New Guinea, and maybe in Sydney
and Sri Lanka."
The Philippines is home to about half of Asia's 100 million
Catholics.
He said John Paul II was "physically affected" by an accident
in which he broke one leg bone, "but the mind works. The feet do
not think, it is the mind that does."